The purpose of this book is to provide theoretical, analytical, and practical knowledge for first responders. Face-to-face interaction with the client/victim is part of the comprehensive approach advocated by this book, which requires interveners to assess the nature of a crisis and the condition of the victim in order to determine the appropriate course of action. Effective communication skills, along with adequate training and preparation for intervention, are the keys to quality interaction between the intervener and the client/victim. Each chapter in this book offers a substantially updated theoretical overview of a particular facet of intervention, as well as models and methods for applying crisis theory to crisis situations faced by interveners. The comprehensive balance of theory and practice presented should enable the intervener in coupling the general knowledge of human psychology and emotional crisis with the specific and novel characteristics of various crisis situations. This new third edition retains important information in a revised format while adding important and timely cognition. Written for pre-service and in-service criminal justice and social service crisis interveners, it will also be of interest to emergency medical personnel, clergy, proba-tion/parole officers, victim advocates, psychological personnel, and professionals from other criminal justice, and social service areas.